Staying grounded during uncertain times – 7 grounding techniques

Staying grounded during uncertain times is what’s actually needed now. With all the bombardments of the world happenings, finding peace and calm is the greatest challenge.

Many times, I find myself getting caught in the whirlwind of thoughts about the uncertain future and fear of everything the world is currently suffering from. Being an empath, it becomes difficult to navigate such thoughts and not get totally absorbed by its energy.

The only way I found to save myself from all the outside noise was by practicing some grounding techniques. I always thought that the fancy word, ‘ staying grounded’ would definitely be some higher level of spiritual practice and that I ain’t any yogi to practice it. But in the real sense, grounding is much more than practicing meditation or being mindful.

Before diving deep into the actual practices for staying grounded, let’s get into the clear meaning of what staying grounded actually is.

What does it mean by Being Grounded?

This modern-day term left me in awe when I actually understood the concept behind the word ‘grounded’. Being grounded is more of getting back to one’s senses, realizing the true self, connecting with the mind and body, getting in-tune with our surroundings and thoughts, finding balance – emotionally, physically, and mentally.

Flying starts from the ground. The more grounded you are, the higher you fly
― J.R. Rim

Get yourself grounded and you can navigate even the stormiest roads in peace.”
― Steve Goodier

Being grounded is like being confined within the self. Just as the roots behold the tree even when the deadly storm hits its way, grounding holds you every single time when life seems a big ball of overwhelm and uncertainty. By being grounded brings you back to yourself when the thoughts and happenings of the world drive you astray.

Importance of Staying grounded 

In the time like this when everything is uncertain and the noises of the world are driving you insane, staying grounding is a gift. Grounding exercises may differ from individual but it definitely is super helpful for everyone who overthinks, feels overwhelmed, has anxiety, and searches for the calm amongst the chaos.

When you practice these tools, it becomes simple to get back your inner self and silence the noise around. We are always lost in the web of thoughts and are normally found worrying about something that is yet to happen.

All these practices grab us away from peace and tranquility, hence it is essential to practice grounding exercises to stay connected to our roots.

“Strong roots can make you stand or stumble depending on your relation to them.”
― Curtis Tyrone Jones

7 mindful ways to stay grounded during uncertain times

Now that we got the gist of what being grounded means and how it can help us stay connected with ourselves, let’s dive into some mindful practices that will help you to stay grounded.

1. Lost into something you love

Hands down!! I will be starting with my favorite grounding exercise. Diving into something you love is total bliss and no wonder it totally makes you feel the presence of joy. When we devote ourselves in some creative activities or our passion, we are truly present in the moment.

Remember the last time you painted your favorite night sky or wrote a beautiful poem, how did you actually feel back then?

When we lose ourselves in the work we love, there is a flow of joyful river within that brings peace and calmness. This peaceful state saves us from our anxious thoughts and worries keeping us grounded with our passion. This sense of fulfillment is what we need during these uncertain times.

There are many online resources available to practice grounding through creativity such as learning to cook or getting into knitting or sewing, grabbing the paints, or playing around with DIYs.

Some useful online sites like Udemy, Coursera, Skillshare provide numerous resources to learn and know everything you need to work on your creative self. I always lookout for some mental wellness classes and brush lettering ones to keep myself sane during uncertain times.

2. Stay grounded by digital detox

Do I even need to explain the urgency of having digital detox during these times? I can totally understand how difficult it would be to put your phone down for a few days and enjoy the moments with your own self. However, it indeed is super necessary to practice digital detox especially when our day starts and ends with the beeps of notifications.

We are missing out on the calm from our lives by continuously being present online, by devoting our attention to all those social media accounts that trigger our worry and anxiety. It definitely would be difficult to practice total digital detox at once hence, break it into chunks and try with minimum time.

For instance – make a rule to not check your phone as soon as you wake up or when you’re about to go to bed. Extend this practice by going mute on Sundays and then eventually on weekends.

I’m still working on taking breaks on Sundays from social media but being someone who works on social platforms, it becomes difficult to refrain ourselves from checking out the notifications.

However, practicing in small chunks is extremely helpful when you cannot devote to it fully. Practicing digital detox refrains you from the unnecessary noise of the outer world and hence brings peace by keeping you grounded during uncertain times.

3. Follow a routine

I cannot stress enough on how important it is to have a dedicated morning and evening routine. Having a morning routine enables you to create the day as you wish and not the other way around.

There is no quicker way to get cortisol and other stress hormones flowing than to check your work email the minute you wake up. Instead of logging into your social media account as soon as you wake up, try to give yourself some blissful moments. Work on your mind, body, and soul as soon as you wake up.

When we follow an assigned routine, we tend to be more productive and can devote ourselves to getting things done. the best thing about following the routine is that it reduces stress and the feeling of overwhelm. Include daily self-care routine during early morning and evening.

I love my morning miracle schedule that charges me up for the rest whole day. Try to include some exercise for your body, something soothing for your soul, and mindful for your mind while planning out your daily routines.

Here is how I planned my miracle morning routine which I am absolutely proud of.

4. Practice mindful eating

Eating well isn’t always about filling your bowls with healthy recipes. It’s about how well you’re eating it. Starting the day with some high sugar intake will surely make you lazy and stressed out for the rest of the day.

The first meal of the day and the last one should be consumed keeping the wellness of the body as well as of mind into attention. Serve your body and mind with whole, unprocessed food along with some healthy snacks such as nuts, fresh fruits, veggies to keep your energy level high throughout the day.

Mindful eating is more of savoring every bite you intake rather than just finishing up the plate.

5.  Rest and get a better night’s sleep

In this busyness, we have totally forgotten what actually ‘REST’ means. We tirelessly work day in and out without even realizing that our body + mind needs rest. Sometimes, even after our 9-5 work hours, we are engrossed in working on our side hustle where we completely skip proper night’s sleep.

Sleeping well at night helps to function body and mind in accordance, reduces stress and anxiety, rejuvenates the soul, and helps in being super productive.

Studies have shown that a sleep-deprived mind is less productive than the one who gets a better sleep for at least 7-8 hours. Sometimes, we are so busy being productive that we forget the needs of our physical and mental health. Taking proper rest and giving yourself some break totally helps in staying grounded especially during tough times.

Try to develop a proper bedtime routine with some healthy habits like reading a few pages before sleeping, listening to pods, or dimming the light to give the signal to your body for the night time. I totally cannot get better sleep with even a single beam of light falling on my eye.

Here are my favorite blackout curtains and some bedtime products.

Related piece – How to reduce sleep anxiety and get better sleep.

6. Start gratitude journaling

This is so far the best grounding practice. All this time we fail to realize how truly blessed we are and we indeed have so much more to be thankful for. Try this beautiful practice of reconnecting with the highest power by starting a gratitude journal. I always practice gratitude journaling during my bedtime, winding up with all the things I’m grateful for.

If you’re not sure what journaling is and from where to start, I have this entire series on how journaling saved my life and healed me. While practicing with gratitude journaling, you can mention 3 to 5 things, you are truly grateful for.

Additionally, you can also write a thankful note to your loved ones or even to yourself or to the Universe for everything you have. 

7. Ground yourself with meditation

We can never underestimate the power of meditation and breathwork exercises. Meditation is more of just sitting with the eyes close and still in the moment. Sometimes, we find it difficult to meditate because we try to control our thoughts, we wish our brain to be empty while we’re practicing meditation.

However, it isn’t always the same. Let your thoughts flow without trying to forcefully control them. The best way to start meditation is by doing it for around 20 mins and then gradually increasing the time span.

Breathing exercise works best for anxiety and stress control besides keeping you grounded. Try the 5-5-5 method where you inhale for the count of 5, hold it for the same count, and exhale respectively.

Whenever I get anxious or am caught in the web of overthinking, I practice breathing exercises to stay grounded. These simple technique helps me a lot to stay connected to myself and be aware of what’s happening within.

By adopting these seven techniques, I find calm and feel grounded during all the uncertainties of the world. We indeed are living the high paced life where taking some time off for ourselves may not be possible always.

But during times like this when everything is falling apart and your world is turning upside down, remember that the only way to bring calm is to return back to yourself. You are your home, the roots that keep your life grounded and protected from all the worldly storms.

I hope, you found these techniques helpful and useful but if you’re overwhelmed reading all the above tools, I suggest you follow any of the two or three while in the beginning.

Always remember, we are all humans and we do need rest. Do not treat yourself as some working machine and forget to nurture your soul, mind, and body. These grounding exercises will surely help you stay grounded during the toughest period of your life.

Also, know that the meaning of staying grounded may differ from individual because you know yourself better. So without any pressure, pick up something that resonates with you and start doing it now.

I would love to know about your favorite grounding techniques in the comments below.